Lotting machine



G. A. STAUB LOTTING MACHINE Feb. 9, 1954 Filed June 21 1951 2 o. m E 5 n W 3 i m 4 2 1 W m 7 8 K m 2 5 g 0 m 4 o o o o I 9 1\ o o o o o mm a 5 o o o o 0 m\ 3 u 3 \J I 2 o o o ,o o n 3 u 4 o o o o n 3 0 6 0 o o o o o o o o o o 0 now 0 0 OMG Q G O O O G ATTORNEY.

Patented Feb. 9, 1954 UNITE-D STAT ES PAT ENT O FFICE LOTTING Guy. A. Staub, New kford',',Ba.

Application June21, 1951; Serial No. 23217811 51 Claims.

'lihis. invention. relates: to.-'a-.1otting. machine fm' mixing; and; discharging lotting balls; one at as. time and: is. particularly intended. for. playing a=.lotting game commercially known. as Bingo.

A fiurther. object of: this invention is to proi ing drum.intovwhicntheentire supply of lotting ballszmaw be;.-placed and: mixed. by the rotation of the drumand-which. wilL discharge. one ball at eachrotatiomof the drum. into; a receiving:

trayrfroma-which thedischargedballmay be manualln remover-hand placed: in adis-play rack having. at special station; having: corresponding; lot indiciaafon eachlotting;v ball.

A vfurther object. of this invention. is.--to prosvide a.-.1ettingcmachine having. a lotting-ball. displays rack. provided.- witha ball chute at: one end thereof. to'cooperate. withiarz ballreceiving trough in. the lotting; machine. so-thatby. picking up and .tiltingthedisplay rack,.al1.the balls thereon. will rolhto.thebalLchute. at the end' thereofand thencemay be: quickly, discharged through the balltrough hack. into the drum of. the lotting machine forthe next. play 01 the game.

Stillla further. object. of this invention. is. to

provide. a. lottingmachine including a rotary lotting. ball-.- mixing. drum mountedv on a base board. and a. ball-display, rack. of a size. to compactly receive the base-board of. the. lotting machinefor storage. purposes. v

Still a further object of. this. invention. is to provide a lotting. machine. including a. horizon" tally. mounted; rotary drum. having. means .to re- QeiVe-apIuraIityoiballs. atone end thereof and to discharge. such .balls at theother end. thereof.

oneat atime.

Still aiurther object or" this invention is to provide. aiweight'eddotting. ball. for use.- in a. lotting machine. whereineachball has lotting indicia thereonandaweight. so located inthe ball.

with relationto thelotting indicia that the ball will. normally rest. on. aposition with the lotting indicia. readily visible thereon.

Withthe foregoing; and other. objects; in view,

. thisinvention. comprisesthe combination, con.

struction. and. arrangement: of. parts hereinafter set. forth,.- .,o1aimed .and disclosed in the: accompanying. drawings, wherein:

Rig, 1 iszaaton plani view of. theelottingz machiiiazand1 ball.;displa rackein playing; position;

Fig, 2 is a; longitudinal. sectional viewthrough the horizontally mounted drum I Eig. 3.- is: a. plan view-of: the flanged: drum end plate;-:

Fig. 4: is a. similar. plan. viewofthe ball receiving; drumends plate:

Fig. 5 is-a sectionalviewon-.line.5--5 ofiFig 2.

Fig. 6 isasectional View on. line 6-B- ot Fig. 2;. and

Fig.1 7- isa plannview of a ball.

There isshown at.1l0'.'thelotting machineroi this invent-ion consisting ot a: base board I lon which-aremounteda painotspaced apart brackets l2--to.. which" are secured a. pair 0t spaced apart drum end..-plates: l3? and; M for. suitably closing the: ends .of. the horizontally" mountedcylindrical drum. ldtherebetweenv The endplateltis provided with anr-inturned flange [6? extending inwardly adistance? at least half as ball diameter, but" preferably approximately equal-to about a: diameter'of the lotting ball l-'l-,-. this flange" l-6'- extending. about-the1 top and. sides- 0f: theplate: l-3.-. At: the bottom, the plate l3.-iis-free of: the fiangeI6-. a-.-distance equal to'-several-dianreters-.of the ball: I1 as at I 8. A

central. opening extends through a journal bearing. 2 l on-the-flange side of endplate l3; the

journal bearing2-l extending inwardly somewhat greater thanthe" distance of. the inturned The other end: plate M is. provided with a large opening 22' therein greater than several diameters' of the ball- H and located adjacent its top. A troughizii extends aboutthe bottom and cpposite'sides of the opening Z2 andserves as a ball entrance guide-.- forTeeding-ballsthrough the opening 22 into. the drum: It. This plate It is also provided. Withan opening 24 at its center and an. inwardly-"extending journal bearing;25 thereabout.

The" drums I5- is horizontally mounted for: rotation by means of .spokedspidersafi and 2'5 through which an axle shaft zfi extendsinto and through the journal bearingsllli: and 25;

The spoked. spider 26- includes. four" spokes at each secured lneanthe rentrance end? of the. drum it: by means. of. feet SI and; provided Withi a central. internally! threaded hub: 32" which. is: offset: from; the: receiving.- end: of. drum. [5; a distance equal at least to a diameter off thejlotting ball. Hs-S'OLaS nottolinterferezwithz the entrance of.- the; balls :irom nought-3.; through; opening 5 22 into theinsides the: drum I52. A; locking nut 34 cooperatingiwithithei endtloffi thread: 33; holds thee axle 28; fixed: relatiom to thethreaded hub 32. The end of axle 28 is reduced as at 35 to flt into the journal opening 24 and a shoulder 36 between the reduced end 35 and threaded portion 33 abuts against a spacing washer 3! bearing against the end of journal bearing 25.

The other spoke spider 2'! is secured by its feet 38 to the drum I at a distance from the discharge end of drum I5 somewhat greater than the width of the inturned flange I6. A sector member 40 extends between two adjacent spider spokes M, and between the sector member 40 and the end of drum l5 there is provided a ball discharge opening 42. The axle shaft 28 extends to the center hub 43 of the spider 21 and then through the journal bearing of end plate I3 and is then bent at right angles to provide a manually operable crank handle 44, should it be desired to manually operate the machine, particularly for use in a location where there is no electricity available for rotating the drum l5 through the small electric motor 45 having a plurality of difierent sized pulleys 46 for cooperation with a spring belt 47 about the outside of drum I5. The different sized pulleys 46 make it possible to vary the speed of rotation by shifting the spring belt 41 to theappropriate size pulley. If desired anadditional set of pulleys can be provided'for a greater speed reduction if necessary. A baffle disk 43 is secured at 55 within the drum I5 centrally on the axle shaft 28 to cause the balls to flow therearound as they pass from the entrance through the discharge end of drum I 5 to more thoroughly mix the balls. As thedrum I5 rotates, the discharge opening 42 passes around the inturned flange I6 and no ball can pass therethrough except when this discharge opening 42 is passing between the bottom ends of the flange I 6 in the free area I8. A ball dischargechute is secured on the same bracket I2 on which the end plate I3 is secured. This ball discharge chute 5I has a length substantially equal to the distance between the ends 56 and 51 of the inturned end plate flange I6, and is inclined from the ball receiving end 52 toward the ball discharge end 53 and leads to a ball receiving tray 54 suitably located on the base board II. The ball receiving end 52 is spaced from the adjacent end 56 of flange I6 a distance less than the diameter of a ball I! while the discharge end 53 of chute 5| is spaced from the other end 51 of flange IS a distance greater than thediameter of a ball I I but less than one and one half diameters of the ball I1. Hence, as the drum I5 rotates in the direction of arrow 49, a ball may dro through the drum discharge opening 42 as this opening 42 passes out from under flange end 58 and travels along chute 5| as the opening approaches flange end 51. Due to the fact that the end 53 is not more than one and one half diameters away from the flange end 56, a second ball cannot fall therethrough but instead Will remain in the drum I5 while the opening 42 passes under the flange end 51 to its next rotation.

To make the machine less noisy, the inside of the drum is provided with a lining of sound absorbing rubber 59 and segments of similar sound absorbing material are provided at 58 and B0 on the bottom of the inside of the end plates I3 and I4.

Each ball I I is provided with lotting indicia 6| on one side thereof and a small weight 62 on the opposite side so that when the ball I! is discharged into the ball receiving tray 54 it will visible position. Then the ball is removed from the tray 54 and placed in the ball display rack 63 conveniently positioned adjacent the base board II. The ball display rack 63 includes a master board 64 having a separate suitably identified station 65 for each lotting ball I'I, there being approximately seventy-five stations 65 in the game commercially known as Bingo so that each ball I I may be placed in its properly identified station 65 for verification when the player wins a game. The board 64 is provided with upwardly extending sides 66 somewhat higher than the diameter of a ball I! and having one wall 61 spaced from the end of the board 64.

. This wall 61 is connected to the board 64 by a somewhat lower floor B8 and leads to an opening 19 at one end of floor 68. When a game is finished, the display rack 64 is picked up and its opening I0 is placed over the trough 23 and the rack suitably tilted to thereby cause all the balls to roll down into and on the floor 68 and through trough 23 and back into the drum I5.

In operation, the 75 lotting balls for the game Bingo are all placed through the trough 23 and opening 22 into the drum I5 and the drum is slowly rotated either by motor 45 or hand crank 44. One ball I! is discharged with every rotation of the drum I5 and this rotation is slow enough for the discharge ball I! to be picked up, its indicia read and announced, and the ball placed in its appropriate station 65 on the display rack 64. This is continued until the game is won, the result verified, and the balls returned to the drum I5 for another game.

While the device has been shown and the structure described in detail, it is obvious that this invention is not to be considered as being limited to the exact form disclosed, and that changes in detail and construction may be made therein within the scope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of this invention.

I-Iavingthus set forth and disclosed the nature of this invention, what is claimed is:

l. A lotting machine for mixing and dispensing lotting balls successively comprising a horizontally mounted open ended cylindrical drum, means for mountingsaid cylindrical drum for rotation about its horizontal axis comprising a pair of spaced apart mounted drum end plates, one end plate having an inturned cylindrical flange extending inwardly of the drum at least half the width of the diameter of a ball across the top and opposite sides thereof, the bottom of said one end plate being free of such flange, the other end plate having an opening therethrough adjacent its top of dimensions greater than the diameter of said balls, a ball entrance guide trough afiixed to the outside of said other end plate about said opening therethrough, each end plate having an aligned opening extending centrally therethrough, an axle shaft in said openings, a pair of drum carrying spoked spiders secured in said drum adjacent opposite ends, said spiders having axle receiving openings therethrough at their centers, the spider spokes at the ball entrance guide trough end plate be-- ing ofiset at least the distance of a ball diameter from the drum end, the other spider being spaced from its drum end at least the Width of the inturned end plate flange, and of a full ball diameter, said drum having a ball discharge means between said other spider and its end, compriscome to rest with the lotting indicia BI in readily ing a ball discharge opening-in said a'runag an inclined ball discharge chute having av length llbfitaniially equal to-thedistance between -the bottom ends of said inturned end plate flange, the receiving end of said discharge chute being spaced from the adjacent end of said flange by less than the diameter of a lotting ball, the discharge and of said chute being spaced from the other endof said flange by more than one diameter and less than one and one half diameters of a lotting ball, whereby only one ball i may discharge for each revolution ofsaid drum.

2. A lotting machine for mixing and dispens ing lotting balls one at a time comprising a horizontally mounted open ended cylindrical drum, means for mounting said cylindrical drum "for rotation about its horizontal axis,- a pair of spaced apart drum end plates, one end platehaving an inturned cylindrical flange extending inwardly of the drum at least half the width of the diameter of a ball across the top and opposite sides thereof, the bottom of said one end plate being free of such flange, the other end plate having an opening therethrough adjacent its. top of" dimensions greaterthan the diameter of said balls, a ball entrance guide trough affixed tothe outside of said other end plate about said opening therethrough, each end plate having an aligned journal opening extending centrally therethrough, an axle shaft journaled through said. journal openings, a pair of drum carrying spoked spiders secured in said drum adjacent; opposite ends, said spiders having axle receiving openings therethrough at their centers,

the spider spokes at the. ball entrance guide trough end plate being offset at least the distance of a ball diameter from the drum end, a baflle partition supported centrally of said axle shaft, the other spider being spaced from its drum end at least the width of the inturned end plate flange and of a full ball diameter, said drum having a ball discharge means between said other spider and its end, comprising a ball discharge opening in said drum, an inclined ball discharge chute having a length substantially equal to the distance between the bottom ends of said inturned end plate flange, the receiving end of said discharge chute being spaced from the adjacent end of said flange by less than the diameter of a lotting ball, the discharge end of said chute being spaced from the other end of said flange by more than one diameter and less than one and one half diameters of a lotting ball, whereby only one ball may discharge for each revolution of said drum.

3. A lotting machine for mixing and dispensing lotting balls one at a time comprising a horizontally mounted open ended cylindrical drum, means for mounting said cylindrical drum for rotation about its horizontal axis comprising a pair of spaced apart brackets, a drum end plate secured on each bracket, one end plate having an inturned cylindrical flange extending inwardly of the drum at least half the width of the diameter of a ball across the top and opposite sides thereof, the bottom of said one end plate being free of such flange, the other end plate having an opening therethrough adjacent its top of dimensions greater than several diameters of said balls, 21. multiple ball entrance guide trough aflixed to the outside of said other end plate about said opening therethrough, each end plate having an aligned journal opening extending centrally therethrough, an axle shaft journaled through said journal openings, a thread on said axle shaft adjacent oneend, a pair of drum carrying four spoked spiders secured in said drum adjacent opposite ends, said spiders having axle receiving opening rtherethrough.attheir centers, one spider axle opening being threadedi to cooperate. with said axle threads, the spider spokes. at. the ball entrance guidev trough end plate beingoffset at least the distance of a ball diameter from the drum end, the other spider being spaced from its drum end at least the width of the inturned. end plate flange and of a fullball diameter, asector member connecting two adjacent spokes of" said other-- spider; said drum having a ball discharge 'means: at said: sector member between said other spider and end; comprising a ball" discharge opening. in said drum, an inclined ball discharge chute having: a length substantially equal to the distance between the bottom ends of said inturned end plate flange, the'receiving endof' said discharge chute being spaced from the adjacent end of said flange by less than the diameter of a lotting ball; the discharge end of: said chute being spaced; from the other end of said: flange by: more than one diameter and' less: than one and one half diameters-or a lottingball, whereby only one ball may.- disch-arge for each revolution of said drum.

4. A lotting. machine for mixing and dispensing lotting balls. one at a time comprising a horizontally mounted open ended cylindrical drum,

means for mounting said cylindrical drum for rotation about its horizontal axis comprising a base board, a pair of spaced apart brackets mounted: on said base board; a drumend plate secured on eachbracket, one end plate. having an inturned cylindrical; flange extending inwardly ofthe drum at least half the width of; the. di ameter of a ball across the top and opposite sides thereof, the bottom of said one end plate being free of such flange, the other end plate having an opening therethrough adjacent its top of dimensions greater than several diameters of said balls, a multiple ball entrance guide trough afiixed to the outside of said other end plate about said opening therethrough, each end plate having an aligned journal opening extending centrally therethrough, an axle shaft journaled through said journal openings, the journal opening in one end plate being larger than the journal opening in the other end plate, said axle shaft having a reduced end to cooperate with the smaller journal opening, a shoulder on said axle shaft at the end of said reduced end limiting the axial movement of said shaft into said journal opening, a thread on said axle shaft adjacent said shoulder, a pair of drum carrying four spoked spiders secured in said drum adjacent opposite ends, said spiders having axle receiving openings therethrough, at their centers, one spider axle opening being threaded to cooperate with said axle threads, the spider spokes at the ball entrance guide trough end plate being offset at least the distance of a ball diameter from the drum end, the other spider being spaced from its drum end at least the width of the inturned end plate flange and of a full ball diameter, a sector member connecting two adjacentspokes of said other spider, said drum having a ball discharge opening means at said ,sector member between said other spider and its end, comprising a ball discharge opening in said drum, an inclined ball discharge chute having a length substantially equal to the distance between the bottom ends of said inturned end plate flange, the receiving end of said discharge chute being spaced from the adjacent end of said flange by less than the diameter of a lotting ball, the discharge end of said chute being spaced from the other end of said flange by more than one diameter and less than one and one half diameters of a lotting ball, whereby only one ball may discharge for each revolution of said drum.

5. A lotting machine for mixing and dispensing lotting balls one at a time comprising a horizontally mounted open ended cylindrical drum, means for mounting said cylindrical drum for rotation about its horizontal axis comprising a base board, a pair of spaced apart brackets mounted on said base board, a drum end plate secured on each bracket, one end plate having therethrough adjacent its top of dimensions greater than several diameters of said balls, a multiple ball entrance guide trough afilxed to the outside of said other end plate about said opening therethrough, each end plate having an aligned journal opening extending centrally therethrough, an axle shaft journaled through said journal openings, the journal opening in one end plate being larger than the journal opening in the other end plate, said axle shaft having a reduced end to cooperate with the smaller journal opening, a shoulder on said axle shaft at the end of said reduced end limiting the axial movement of said shaft into said journal opening, a thread on said axle shaft adjacent said shoulder, a pair of drum carrying four spoked spiders secured in said drum adjacent opposite ends, said spiders having axle receiving openings therethrough at their centers, one. s ider axle opening being threaded to cooperate with said axle threads, the spider spokes at the ball entrance guide trough end plate being ofiset at least the distance of a ball diameter from the drum end, a bafile partition supported centrally of said axle shaft, the large end of said axle shaft extending beyond its journal opening and bent into a crank handle, the other spider being spaced from its drum end at least the width of the inturned end plate flange, a sector member connecting two adjacent spokes of said other spider, said drum having a ball discharge opening means at said sector member between said other spider and its end, comprising a ball discharge openingin said drum, an inclined ball discharge chute having a length substantially equal to the distance between the References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,483,700 Waple Feb. 12, 1924 2,003,979

Skoric June4, 1935 

